Beth’s personal and professional life falls apart whilst living in New York, so she decides to return to the Lake District, a place which holds fond childhood memories for her.

Beth’s arrival at the village starts badly with an accidental introduction to her neighbours. Struggling single Dad Simon, lives in the village with his Son Jake, who has a serious heart condition. Beth soon gets to know them and forms a tight bond with them both. However, Jake is convinced he is going to die and has made it his mission to make sure his Dad is not left alone when this happens. His attempts to get his Dad married off are brilliantly humorous parts of the story. With the arrival of Jake’s very absent Mum on the scene, rifts soon arise for all concerned, especially Beth who doesn’t know where this leaves her. But Beth has her own demons to put to bed before she can move on.

This book is just beautiful. It’s heart-warming, endearing and heart-breaking all at the same time. You know that due to Jake’s illness there are going to be some ‘lump in the throat’ moments, but it is handled in a very empathetic way, with just the right amount of medical information. Jake is such an endearing character that you take to him straight away. He is so brave and matter of fact about his condition and his interaction with his friend is just lovely. The other main characters, Simon and Beth are really likeable and are also very believable.

This book takes you on another of Katie March’s emotional rollercoasters. It is a brilliant example of how her books suck you in, make you compelled to keep reading and leave you with a rewarding, feel-good conclusion, as you turn the last few pages. As with all of Katie’s previous books I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it.

Katie Marsh's novel is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, set in the beautiful location of the Lake District. When Beth's life falls apart in New York where she has lived for some years, with her marriage to her unpleasant husband breaking down and along with having made a mistake, she decides to return to Britain to the place she had been happy. Stressed single father, Simon, is shouldering unbearable burdens, his delightful and beloved 7 year old son, Jake, has a rare heart condition. After a road accident, Beth encounters Jake and an angry Simon, coincidentally she lives next door to them. Jake is a lovely and lively child, worried about his dad, and he is determined that his father should not be left alone should the worst happen.

In a emotional roller coaster of a story, there is plenty of drama as Beth and Simon's relationship develops. Each have their own issues, Beth, has a best friend, Jas, and is working as a school nurse, she is trying to rebuild her life and confidence, both personally and professionally. She plays a critical role in getting Simon to reappraise his life and see life through a different lense. As could be predicted, Tamsin, Jake's mother returns, she had abandoned them after experiencing post-natal depression after giving birth. This is warm and engaging contemporary fiction about facing challenging circumstances in life, love, hope, friendships, and overcoming adversities. Jake is an adorable character, and the author goes into some detail with her descriptions of his medical condition and the way it affects his life.

I can see many readers enjoying this book, although I should warn that there may well be tears. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

This is completely different to my usual psychological thriller type story. Oh what a beautiful story. I loved it and highly recommend it .
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read it

Such a lovely story, very believable and you felt a real connection with the characters. Jake the little boy and his father have a wonderful relationship and when Beth comes into their lives things can only get better, or can they?

The opening of the book finds Beth relocating from New York after a period of several years and returning to England – to escape something that happened in the USA that has left her vulnerable and uncertain. As she navigates the country roads, and sheep, she in involved in a road accident that involves Jake, a seven year old boy. Whilst Jake is relatively unhurt, his father, Simon is incandescent with rage and Beth is left mortified, guilty and uncertain.

We soon discover that Jake has a heart condition which helps to explain Simon’s anger. We also learn that Jake’s mother abandoned the marriage and child, when they discovered his heart condition. As is the magic of fiction – Beth ends up living next door to Simon and Jake.

A really great story, heart-breaking in places, heart-warming in others. Jake is a delight, Simon is soon revealed to be sensitive and caring and extremely over-worked and over-stressed in his domestic situation and his care and worry over Jake. Beth, of course, is lovely – maybe a bit hasty at times, but undoubtedly a loving, caring person.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Unbreak Your Heart by Katie Marsh tells the story of a seven-year-old Jake who suffers from a heart condition. Jake is determined not to leave his single father, Simon, on his own if anything happens to him. The book also introduces us to Beth, who returns home to the Lake District from America after her marriage breaks down. Jake and Beth become friends after she accidentally hits his bike. This contemporary fiction is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching in equal measures. Katie Marsh should be proud of the work she has put into writing this book. The characters are very much as relatable as the story itself. This is an interesting book that will hold your attention until the last page.

Fell in love with this book, it was just a heartwarming story. Told between Beth and Simon it was a beautiful book. Would highly recommend.

Loved this book even though it was miles away from my usual genre of psychological thriller. I loved all the characters and the story and even though it was predictable at times, it still had me crying at the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this, I'm a fan of this writer and enjoyed this story. It was not as good as her previous books and at times too far fetched. Overall a good read.

Beth is a nurse in bustling New York City but when one night shift she makes a mistake that ends with a lost life, she decides to leave and return to her happy place in the lake District.
Simon is Jake's dad and he is doing his best just to make it through each day, His son Jake has a serious heart condition which means that every day is a blessing for him and his dad so when Beth quite literally crashes into their life, Simon isn't ready for the way that she begins making him look at what his life has become.

Unbreak your heart was emotional in parts but also laugh out loud funny. Jake is a great central character and one you really can get behind, It is heartbreaking in parts especially when you realize why Jake is so desperate for his dad Simon to meet a new girl and settle down.
I would really recommend this book, I read it straight through, couldn't put it down!

I loved this book - I read it in one sitting. It is uplifting and heartbreaking - I was tearful at the end.

Jake has a serious heart condition and is cared for by his dad, Simon. His mum left a year after his birth after suffering post-natal depression. Simon has coped since then juggling his care alongside various jobs. Jake’s close friend died of heart complications and he is well aware that he might not survive and wants his father settled with someone.

His matchmaking efforts give the book its lighter edge.

Beth has escaped from a poor decision and her marriage and is putting her life back together. She moves next door and their lives become connected.

This was a beautifully warm and rewarding story. One I will be recommending.

I love Katie Marsh's fluid, matter-of-fact writing and particularly enjoyed her earlier novels My Everything and A Life Without You. Marsh uses her experience as a nurse to write medical dramas that are accurate and engrossing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a very uplifting read with some heartbreaking moments and some wonderful characters. Nurse Beth moves to the Lake District having fled her life in New York following the breakdown of her marriage and loss of her job. Seven year old Jake has a life limiting heart condition and worries about leaving his dad Simon on his own once he dies and Simon does all he can for his son and still misses Tamsin who left when Jake was just one as she couldn’t cope with their son’s illness. The characters are beautifully written and very selfless and despite Jake’s illness and the impact it has there’s such warmth to this. The area it’s set in sounds breathtaking and the relationships between all characters work so well, this is a charming read.

I really should know by now to avoid any novel that is described as "heartwarming" or "life affirming", because that is just another way of saying saccharine, over sentimental and unrealistically romantic. The plot is predictable, trite and has some far-fetched plot threads: Jake seems far too mature for his age and a child with an illness like that would cling to his father and want him to himself; the way Tamsin just swanned back after no contact at all was unrealistic; Jake would have no memory of his mother so why would he welcome her back? And so on.
I like books with more of an edge.

This book made me cry. The extraordinary emotional resilience of Jake, despite his illness, his losses and his Dad falling apart is a beautiful thing to behold. The complexities of the relationships around Jake and the passion he approaches his life with were wonderfully described and I found myself rooting for him with every page turn.
You have to read this book!

Thank you for allowing me an arc copy of Unbreak my Heart. This was a lovely heartwarming story, easy to believe the characters and a well written flowing storyline. Highly recommend this author

Quite a readable story with likeable characters but quite predictable.

One thing which did bother me was the 'voice' of 7 year old Jake as he just seemed too grown up in the way he spoke. I actually had to go back and check his age as he comes across as a much older person.

A heart-breaking but heart-warming novel that is just a joy to read.

A child character in a book who has a serious medical condition is always difficult to read and on more than one occasion it produced a few tears. But with wonderful characters that are very believable, Katie Marsh hits the perfect combination of an emotional story with a rewarding feel good factor. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Beth has flown over from NYC following her divorce & is looking for a quiet new start in The Lake District... Simon & Jake are father and son whose bond is extremely strong, Jake is an extremely poorly boy with a rare heart condition and is keen for his Dad to find love. They all crash into each others lives literally.....

I really enjoyed this book, heartwarming & heart wrenching! I shed a few tears as I turned the pages.

Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication, I shall be recommending to friends.

What a wonderful heartbreaking story of little boy Jake who has a horrible illness. He has a wonderful loving personality with a father who fights tooth and nail for him, however puts his own needs and feelings aside. This book made me laugh, cry and touched my heart. I hope there will be a sequel as I would love there story to continue.